Thome homers as Sox pound Johnson, Marlins

Pierzynski singled three times off Johnson and Thome provided
the knockout punch with a home run as the reeling Chicago White
Sox stomped the Florida Marlins, 10-5, in the opener of a
three-game interleague set.

Jerry Owens scored three times and Rob Mackowiak collected two
hits for the White Sox, who had lost 17 of 21. The offense
scored six-plus runs for their third straight game after scoring
six runs just three times in its previous 19 contests.

"We hit the ball better and had a little more confidence," White
Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "We're keeping it rolling.
It's a good feeling."

After going 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 31 games last season,
Johnson's promising rookie campaign came to an end on September
12 when he was pulled from a start against the New York Mets
with an elbow injury.

The 23-year-old yielded just three runs in 15 1/3 innings over
three rehab starts, but he was not facing a farm club Monday.

"Physically I felt fine, everything else was terrible," Johnson
said. "I just couldn't get on top of anything. Every single
pitch was up. You get in a hitter's count, and you're pretty
much screwed."

"Sometimes seeing a fresh face (in Johnson), or seeing someone
you haven't faced before, at least you have no bad history with
him," Paul Konerko said. "You just kind of run with it."

After he loaded the bases with nobody out in the first, the Sox
opened the scoring when Konerko grounded into a double play.
Pierzynski extended the inning with a run-scoring single to
right.

Pierzynski struck again in the third after walks to Thome and
Konerko loaded the bases with one out. The lefthanded swinger
singled again to right, plating Owens for a 3-2 lead.

"We're swinging the bats better," Pierzynski said. "We're
getting to where we need to be. It was a good night for me, and
a good night for everyone."

Thome provided Chicago a big 8-2 cushion when he drilled a
three-run homer - his ninth of the season and 481st career - in
the fourth after two errors kept the inning moving. Two batters
later Pierzynski, who entered with three hits in his last 21
at-bats, ended Johnson's nightmare with his third safety.

Johnson was tagged for eight runs - four earned - and nine hits
in 3 2/3 innings. He walked four.

"(Johnson) was fine," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "If
we make a couple of plays behind him, it's a different story."

The support provided Chicago starter Jose Contreras (5-7) his
first win since May 21. The righthander allowed five runs and
eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.

"I felt I had better control today, than I did in my last
outing," Contreras said through an interpreter. "My fastball is
not as good as it was earlier (in the season), but I have to
work through it. Sometimes that's what a pitcher goes through.
(But) I'm not worried about it."

Alfredo Amezaga had two hits and two RBI for the Marlins, who
have lost five of six.

Chicago right fielder Jermaine Dye, who drove in a run, left
after making a diving catch in the fourth inning with a strained
right quad.

"I think that play was the fuel of the game, when (Dye) made
that play," Guillen said. "The game could've gone the other
way if he hadn't made (the catch). He could still play, but I
took him out. I didn't want to take a chance."